Besides the usual complaints of rising prices after the recent sharp increase in our fuel prices, followed by miniscule drops, those with children studying or working overseas are talking about the substantial changes in exchange rates and their effects.
One questioned why USA problems could strengthen their USD, to which I suggested that it could be due to rescue efforts in the form of taking up shares in troubled US banks, which involved buying USD.
Another man, whose son had recently migrated to Australia, when AUD was around MYR3, complained about the huge drop to around MYR2.30. Imagine how much cheaper if he were to migrate now.
Yet another mentioned about someone who had a forex bank account who complained to him that he had lost a Proton (which ranges from 30+k to 100+k which by itself is a huge difference and we all know which he wanted to refer to).
But I sympathise with a food seller who mentioned just a few things to explain why he had not been earning his own salary for the past few months.
His basic price for a dish of rice with meat and vegetable combination was increased from Rm2.80 to Rm3.00 (‘wah still so cheap wan ah’ to KL folks) knowing the local tolerance level to price increases. He said the ‘bearded’ chicken price has increased from Rm9.00 to Rm12.00 (+33%) and a big bag of rice from Rm80 to Rm160 (+100%) just to name two items.
Our ministers in charge (over the years) had, without fail, tried without success, to control prices of essential items. What we see on tv and newspapers are out of reality, just like make believe in film making. On the ground, the public as well as traders buying their goods or food sellers buying their ingredients, are faced with a ‘take it or leave it’ situation. So this group of small businessmen are squeezed in the middle – between rising fuel and related costs and pressure to control their prices either by official policies or by the public. How long can they afford to carry on? The business appears to be good but the bottom line greatly reduced or like my friend, ‘nothing for himself’.
By lending a ear to their problems, I am rewarded with ‘he is so glad to see you’ said a young wife of a coffee shop proprietor, to which I replied, ‘lucky for you I am not a woman’, followed by the usual gay remarks jovially. Then there is the other shop operator’s wife who actually asked me to go out with his homely husband so that she can have some space to go out with her friends! Some shops provide us with a free round of Chinese tea after our first round of tea or coffee. Not bad for being a KPC!
Government fed by the people
Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.
Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?
When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.
Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)
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